Official UK procurement notice
ED0407-25 - EDDC Leisure Management
Authority: East Devon District Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Authority is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced long-term operator to undertake leisure management services for the following Facilities: Dual Use Leisure Facilities * Axminster Leisure Centre, EX13 5AZ * Broadclyst Leisure Centre, EX5 3AL * Colyton Leisure Centre, EX24 6GB * Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre, EX8 3AE * Honiton Leisure Centre, EX14 1QW * Ottery St Mary Leisure Centre, EX11 1QZ * Sidmouth Leisure Centre, EX10 9LH Indoor Leisure Facilities * Exmouth Leisure Centre, EX8 1EN * Exmouth Pavilion (Theatre), EX8 2AZ * Sidmouth Swimming Pool, EX10 8XR Outdoor Leisure Facilities * Coburg Gardens (18 hole Putting Green, 4 Outdoor Hard Tennis Courts, 4 Outdoor Grass Tennis Courts), EX10 8NH * Seafield Gardens (9 hole Adventure Golf, 2 Outdoor Tennis Courts), EX12 2QS * Phear Park (3 Outdoor Tennis Courts) Health and Wellbeing Development * Health and Wellbeing Development Programme * Partnership working as set out in this Specification Any additional leisure or sports facilities that may be built within the Authority’s administrative area (that may also be part of educational sites), or that become the Authority’s responsibility during the Contract Period. Once appointed, the operator will manage the Facilities as an Operator Partner to the Authority and will have day-to-day responsibility for doing so. Please refer to the Specification which sets out the Authority’s Core Requirements, Service Requirements , Asset Management Requirements and Performance Management and Reporting Requirements. For all Facilities, the Operator Partner will be responsible for all day-to-day repairs and maintenance of fixtures and fittings, as set out the specification. The Authority will be responsible for all fixed structural assets at the Facilities. The Operator Partner will additionally take responsibility for lifecycle replacement of all plant and equipment at the new Cranbrook Facility, and for these elements and planned preventative maintenance as set out in the Specification for all other Facilities.
- How the procedure runs: The Authority has decided to use a three-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure (CFP) for the Procurement with the following Stages: The following provides a summary of the Stages of the Procurement: Stage 1 – PSQ: This initial stage involves issuing a PSQ to potential suppliers. It helps assess a supplier's suitability, experience, financial standing, and compliance with essential criteria before inviting the supplier to submit a tender. Stage 2 – PSQ Evaluation: The PSQs are reviewed and scored. Suppliers who meet the required standards will be shortlisted to proceed to the next stage. Stage 3 – Shortlisted suppliers are invited to submit formal bids. This will include pricing and detailed proposals. Stage 4 - Dialogue to enhance the specification and review contract terms etc.: A dialogue phase is conducted with the shortlisted suppliers to refine and clarify the project requirements. Stage 5 – Bidders will then be invited to submit their Final Tenders, and the Authority will assess Final Tenders to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). Stage 6 - Evaluation: Submitted tenders will then be evaluated against predefined criteria such as cost, quality, compliance and social value. Stage 7 - Due Diligence and Contract Finalisation Dialogue Period: Before awarding the contract, further checks are conducted on the Intended Successful Supplier to validate supplier claims (e.g., financial health, references). Final negotiations may occur to agree on contract terms Stage 8 - Award – Contract Award: The successful Supplier is formally awarded the contract, and the procurement process concludes.
- No preliminary market engagement: The Authority completed a pre-market engagement questionnaire in February 2025 before the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 and this was the justification for not publishing a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (UK2) in relation to the engagement it has carried out. Details of the Pre-Market Engagement can be found within the competition document pack.
CPV: Recreational, cultural and sporting services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£10,000,000
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality
- Price
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Concession
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 10 Dec 2025, 18:13 GMT
- Last source update
- 18 Sept 2026, 16:01 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 10 Aug 2026
- Authority reference
ED0407-25- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-081718- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f33dFind a Tender
- How it runs
The Authority has decided to use a three-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure (CFP) for the Procurement with the following Stages:
The following provides a summary of the Stages of the Procurement:
Stage 1 – PSQ: This initial stage involves issuing a PSQ to potential suppliers. It helps assess a supplier's suitability, experience, financial standing, and compliance with essential criteria before inviting the supplier to submit a tender.
Stage 2 – PSQ Evaluation: The PSQs are reviewed and scored. Suppliers who meet the required standards will be shortlisted to proceed to the next stage.
Stage 3 – Shortlisted suppliers are invited to submit formal bids. This will include pricing and detailed proposals.
Stage 4 - Dialogue to enhance the specification and review contract terms etc.: A dialogue phase is conducted with the shortlisted suppliers to refine and clarify the project requirements.
Stage 5 – Bidders will then be invited to submit their Final Tenders, and the Authority will assess Final Tenders to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT).
Stage 6 - Evaluation: Submitted tenders will then be evaluated against predefined criteria such as cost, quality, compliance and social value.
Stage 7 - Due Diligence and Contract Finalisation Dialogue Period: Before awarding the contract, further checks are conducted on the Intended Successful Supplier to validate supplier claims (e.g., financial health, references). Final negotiations may occur to agree on contract terms
Stage 8 - Award – Contract Award: The successful Supplier is formally awarded the contract, and the procurement process concludes.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 12 Jan 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline
- 12 Jan 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 6 Jan 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
10 Dec 2025 → 11 Jan 2027 · 8 dates- Tender notice published319 days ago10 Dec 2025, 18:13 GMT
- Clarification questions by292 days ago6 Jan 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline286 days ago12 Jan 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by76 days ago10 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent38 days ago18 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published37 days ago18 Sept 2026, 16:01 BST
- Standstill ends26 days ago29 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today25 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 77 days11 Jan 2027
Notice history
5 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 10 Dec 2025- Tender notice published10 Dec 2025, 18:13 GMTUK4
- Contract award notice published18 Sept 2026, 16:01 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete18 Sept 2026, 16:01 BST
- Procurement method changed18 Sept 2026, 16:01 BST
- Contract signature expected24 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports & Leisure Management Ltd11 Jan 2027 – 10 Jan 2037 · up to 10 Jan 2042Extensions: One Five year extension, subject to Authorities discretion | £10,000,000 | 16 Sept 2026standstill to 29 Sept 2026 | Standstill |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3final-stage tenders | 1 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonSport and Leisure Management Limited · East Midlands
- did not winLeisure East Devon Community Leisure LtdSME · South West England
- did not winWealden Leisure Ltd T/A Freedom Leisure · South East England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
3 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- Leisure East Devon Community Leisure LtdBidder / tenderer
- Sport and Leisure Management LimitedAwarded supplier
- Wealden Leisure Ltd T/A Freedom LeisureBidder / tenderer
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specificationsAccess: The tender documents associated with this procurement are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at the Authority's e-tendering portal (ProContract) https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ Click on the Competition Advert link and you can then express an interest in this opportunity by clicking the green button "Log in and register interest in this opportunity". Once you have expressed an interest, the system will automatically allow you access to the project documentation that will be stored within "My Activities" in your account on the system.
- Bidding documents and specifications ED0407-25 - EDDC Leisure Management: PSQ Draft Leisure Management Contract Specification Specification Appendices
- Technical specifications ED0407-25 - EDDC Leisure Management As specified within the Competition document pack.
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender